When the audience becomes a presenter

All my life – childhood, student days, professional stint – I have been an audience, listening to parents, elders, teachers, seniors and specialists speakers. I have always been on the other side of the dais , facing speakers. There have been occasions when I have chaired a meeting, but those have been official and the audience comprised team members. That, strictly speaking, didn’t qualify me for being termed as a presenter or a keynote speaker.

This changed the other day when a former colleague, who now stands elevated to the rank of a CEO, invited me to address his team members in an informal session. Having always posed questions to the speakers, it was a pleasant experience when, for a change, the audience posed questions to me and I responded with utmost candour and honesty. The climax of the event came when several youngsters, having bought books authored by me, wanted me to autograph their copies. 

It validated my conviction that years of efforts that we put in and experience that we gain, may not always earn us ready recognition, but would definitely provide some occasion to showcase the same. We need to be patient and do our bit selflessly.